Inner Mongolia Tour of
Wudangzhao Monastery

70 kilometers (approx. 43 miles) northeast of Baotou,
near a valley named Wudang Gou, lies the Wudangzhao Monastery which
is a large Tibetan Buddhist monastery. It is the biggest and the
best preserved lama monastery in Inner Mongolia's Autonomous Region.
'Bada Gele Monastery' is its Tibetan name, meaning white lotus. 'Wudangzhao'
in Mongolian means 'willow'. Willows are prosperous in the valley,
thus the name.

The monastery was built in the Tibetan style. It is a
group of white architectures built on the hills according to the
principles of physiognomy. The white monastery stands out against
the background of the green trees, making it appear very majestic.

The main buildings in the monastery are composed of six
halls, three living Buddha residences, and a funeral hall where the
relics of several living Buddhas are preserved.

The six halls are Suguqin Hall, Dongkuo'er Hall,
Queyiri Hall, Dangge Xide Hall, Ahui Hall and Ribenlun Hall. The
Suguqin Hall is the uppermost one where all the lamas in the
monastery gather to recite the lections. The floor is covered with
red carpet, and the walls are covered with the colorful paintings
depicting Buddhist stories. Queyiri Hall is situated to the west of
Suguqin Hall. The Laughing Buddha is worshipped here. The hall is in
fact a department where the Buddhist sutra and the religious
philosophy are studied. Dangge Xide Hall is also named Jingang Hall,
for several Jingang Buddha statues are worshipped there. Dangqi Xide
Hall is the smallest hall in the monastery. In it are several
Buddhist statues, among which the most notable one is a Buddha,
named Daweide, who has nine heads, 34 arms and 16 feet.

According to statistics, there are some 1,500 Buddhist
statues and abundant fine murals which reflect the historical
characters, customs, myths and beautiful landscape. All the
collections in the monastery are precious materials for studying the
history and culture of minorities.

Taking regular buses in the square out front of the
eastern passenger transport station of Baotou, you will reach the
monastery after a journey of about four hours.